Al-Ahli Saudi 1-1 Celtic (Celtic win 5-4 on penalties) – Shin Yamada impresses

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The Celtic Star

·27 luglio 2025

Al-Ahli Saudi 1-1 Celtic (Celtic win 5-4 on penalties) – Shin Yamada impresses

Celtic won the 3rd place play-off match at the Como Cup against Saudi side Al-Ahli in a penalty shoot-out after the very competitive match ended in a 1-1 draw with Auston Trusty getting Celtic’s equaliser in the second half after the Hoops trailed at the interval…

Another game of two halves

Very much like the Ajax game it was a game of two halves with the Al-Ahli looking the better side in the first half, well deserving their one goal advantage, but Celtic taking control of the game in the second 45 minutes.

James Forrest got the assist for the Celtic equaliser and new Bhoy Shin Yamada thought he’d given Celtic the lead with a fine finish only to be denied by an offside flag. The Japanese striker certainly looked the part and would have cause to celebrate later in the evening.

OneFootball Video

Conor Spence’s view in Como

Luke McCowan struggled to contain the Saudi’s impressive midfield in the first half but was much more impressive in the second half and was unlucky to see his fine effort to win the match for Celtic come back off the post. Brendan Rodgers certainly thought it was in as the substitute Saudi keeper was rooted to the spot. It was the third time the Como woodwork denied Celtic in three days.

Celtic win penalty shoot-out

So the game went to a penalty shoot-out – after what looked like some confusion – and Celtic this time made no mistake in scoring all five with Shin Yamada netting the fifth and decisive spot -kick after Vil Sinisalo had stopped a Saudi effort.

Shin Yamada of Celtic FC in action during Como Cup match played between Al-Ahli and Celtic FCat Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

So no wooden spoon for Celtic in Como and plenty of positives for Brendan Rodgers as he takes his squad back to Glasgow to prepare for the real stuff getting underway a week today against St Mirren at Celtic Park.

Brendan Rodgers impressed by latest signing Shin Yamada

The manager, like the Celtic support in the stadium, including two writers from The Celtic Star, and the rest of us watching on Celtic TV, sometimes with sound, were certainly impressed by the new Japanese striker.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Brendan Rodgers praised the club’s new signing, as reported by Scottish Sun.

“He showed good composure, he’s very quick and strong,” Rodgers on Shin Yamada

“It was nice for Shin. It’s not been easy for him when you think he’s only just come into the club.

“He’s come to a new culture and new way of working with a real intensity. But he’s worked really hard in training.

“Sadly he didn’t get the run-out the other night but the plan was to give him 45 minutes tonight and I felt he worked really hard when he came on. He showed good composure, he’s very quick and strong.

“He wants to get in behind and, from the wee bits I’ve seen of him so far, he just needs to get into more decisive positions to score. We are a team that creates a lot of opportunities. But he’s strong and he can press the game.”

Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter

Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out 5 September 2025. Available to pre-order now.

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